Majority of main roads around Kingdom open — PSD

AMMAN — The weather is forecast to remain “cold” and “very cold” during the day and at night for the rest of this week, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said Sunday.

The effect of a polar front and a depression, which began late last week, started to ease off Sunday afternoon, JMD Director General Mohammad Samawi told The Jordan Times.

The polar front brought snow and rain across the Kingdom over the past few days, with heavy snowfall resuming late Saturday.

The weather will remain cold until Wednesday, with frost formation expected in most areas in the Kingdom, Samawi said.

“All areas in the Kingdom will witness frost formation except for the southern Jordan Valley and Aqaba Governorate,” he said over the phone, expecting scattered showers on Wednesday. 

Samawi urged the public to follow the instructions of the Civil Defence Department and other concerned agencies, calling on people not to leave their houses before 10am to ensure their safety. 

Temperatures around the Kingdom on Monday are forecast to range between a high of 2°C to 13°C and a low of -1°C to -5°C, according to the JMD.

Commenting on the possibility of a new polar front affecting the Kingdom later this week, Samawi said the department’s devices have not detected signs that can be taken as positive confirmation, noting that “long-term prediction usually lacks accuracy.”

He added that other international meteorological departments have not forecast another blizzard in Jordan and the JMD will warn the public if any snow storms or polar fronts are indeed expected.

Samawi told the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that current information points to a “weak depression” that might affect the Kingdom on Tuesday and continue until Thursday.

The depression is expected to bring rain to most regions of the country, accompanied by southeasterly to southwesterly winds, which will be moderate to brisk.

The Greater Amman Municipality said on Sunday that all main roads in the capital were open after the resumption of snowfall had blocked some streets.

Petra reported that the municipality is working to open side roads and will continue to do so until late Monday.

The Public Security Department said in a statement carried by Petra that all roads in the northern region were open, but urged motorists to exercise extreme caution while driving in Ajloun.

Similarly, all roads in the central region are open, but caution is advised in Balqa, the department said.

In the south, roads in Karak, Tafileh and Petra were open, but those in Shobak, Ail Athruh and Neimat Villages in Maan were blocked by snow.